Baler



Nov. 23, 1948.

original Filed May 1o, 1944,

L. R.YTALL.MAN

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 A INVENTOR.

i/@lima l mM/ff,

Nav. 23,1948. l

R. TALLMA'N 2,454,413

BALER v Original Filed Edgy-10, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l l@ INVNTOR. I I v LeS/je R Taljmajz Patented Nov. 23, 1948 BALER Leslie R. Tallman, Shelbyville, Ill., assignor of forty-tive per cent to G. L. Tallman, twelve and one-half per cent to J. L. Tallman, and twelve and one-half per cent to Emma S. Tallman, all

of Shelbyville, Ill.

Original application May 10, 1944, Serial No. 534,869. Divided and this application February 18, 1946, Serial No. .648,470

Claims. 1

The present invention relates to a baler and more particularly to aunique construction of the compression chamber in a baler of the type commonly used for baling hay, straw, and similar types of material.

The Vpresent invention is a division of my application for collapsible feeder head for baler-s, Serial Number 534,869, filed May 10, 1944.

In accordance with the present invention many of the disadvantages heretofore inherent in balers are overcome by providing an improved feeder head which has a maximum area of engagement with a charge of material. To retain the charge of material within the chamber when the feeder vhead moves upwardly in a return cycle of operation, the :bottom of Vthe compression chamber is provided with a plunger guide means which aids material engaging dogs which project through the sides of the baling case just Abeyond the limit of movement of the compression plunger..

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention toprovide an improved construction for a compression chamber.

Other and further objects of the present invention subsequently will become apparent by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation of a baler constructed in accordance with the` present invention;

Figures 2 and 3 are views of a generally schematic nature to illustrate the mode of operation of the feeder head shown in Figure 1; and

Figure 4 is a front view of the plunger head as seen from a cross section l-of the baler in the proximity of the junction between the compression chamber and the bale case.

To facilitate the understanding of the invention as it would appear in its normal environment in connection with a hay baler or other baler of conventional type, there is shown in Figure 1 the invention as applied to one of the smaller and simpler types of balers. This application to one of the simpler types of balers has been shown in the drawing to facilitate the disclosure although it is to be understood that the present invention is equally applicable to the more complex'types of balers including self-powered balers. and pickup balers.

From the showing in Figure 1 it, therefore, may be assumed that the present invention has been applied to one of the smaller types of balers which is hand fed and which ispoweredfrom a suitable auxiliary source `of power connected theretoiby a belt. Such Abaler -is usually'arranged for movement from place to place, and hence is provided with a plurality of wheels IOI mounted on axles which support the frame of the baler. The frame of the baler primarily is delineated by two bottom rails y|92 and two top rails |03 each of which more commonly is of angle iron configuration. The top rails |63 and the bottom rails |02 are suitably retained in position by a plurality of top, bottom, and side members, some of which have been omitted from the drawing for the purpose of illustrating more clearly other mechanism. The main baler frame supports at one end a bale case |04 in which the formed bales move toward the exit and in which the ties about the bales are completed by manual operation. Supported at the juncture between the ybale case I4 and the main frame is a block holder |05 which is pivotally supported at vE 00 so that when the block holder is tilted toward the frame, the block held thereby will be in position for engagement by a block engaging member 42 of a feeder head 24.

The main frame supports upright support members I I which carry a pair of feeder arm levers I4 and il, and guide arm levers 23. The collapsible feeder head 24 is supported at the outer extremities of these two sets of pairs of arms. Mounted above the top `rail |03 of the baler frame is an auxiliary frame |96 which has a bearing |01 on either side `to support a shaft |08 which carries a gear I 05. The shaft |08 is provided at one side with a pulley and a fly-wheel not shown in the drawing for 4purposes of clarity in the disclosure of the `other cooperating elements. The gear |09 engages a large gear I II mounted upon a shaft II2 supported in a bearing IIS. The bearing |I3 is supported from the auxiliary frame |06. The shaft I i2 carries a pair of gears lI I4 each of which cngageslone'of a pair of large gears I5 which are mounted upon a pair of shafts IIS. A crank shaft -Iifor an equivalent structure, is mounted between the gears I I'5 `and is connected to one end of a pitman` EI which is connected to a piston 59. At an intermediate point on the -pitman there is positioned an upright member `I i8 which is connected to a short connection link or lever I I1, the other end of which is connected to the lower extremity of the feeder armvlevers I4. A material compression chamber 5l is provided adjacent.

i its bottom with .a guide member 58, also shown in assist the passage of material into the compression chamber.

In the sides are located dogs 58 which are resiliently biased by springs 59 so that the pointed portions of the dogs extend inwardly into the bale casing through suitable openings or apertures 1|. The guide rail 58 mounted in the bottom of the compression chamber 51 terminates in the vicinity of the line inter-connecting the extremities of the dogs 63 so that the end of the rail 58 cooperates to retain in position compressed charges of material such as hay or straw.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the application of power to produce the rotation of the large gears lbrings about movement of the pitman 5| so that as the plunger 59 moves across the opening of the compression chamber 5l, the feeder head is moved upwardly. The position of the parts shown in the drawing in Figure 1 is the position obtaining when the compression plunger 59 or piston is being removed rearwardly since the gears ||5 are moving in a counterclockwise direction. IThus the collapsible feeder head 24 has begun its downward movement to engage a charge of material such as hay, straw or the like to be supplied to the compression chamber 5'|.

The levers lf3 are pivotally mounted on a shaft I2 carried by supports and extend a short distance beyond the shaft |2 where they terminate in portions having depending side members I6. Mounted adjacent the levers lli and on the shaft I2 are a pair of levers Il which extend upwardly to the feeder head 2f and which extend downwardly in Figure 1 a short distance beyond the shaft |2. Adjacent the lower ends of the levers il there is positioned a cross member i3 engaged by a bolt |9 having thereabout a helical spring 2| which in turn engages another cross inember 22. The cross members i3 and 22 are arranged to engage both pairs of levers M and and the resilient spring 2| about the lbolt I9 provides a resilient means for interconnecting the two pair of levers. This resilient interconnecting means is provided so that if during the downward stroke of the feeder head obstruction is encountered, the resilient interconnection comprising a spring 2| will prevent breakage of the mechanism. Mounted on a shaft |3 located at the upper extremity of the upright members |i are a pair of levers 23 arranged so as to be generally parallel to the levers Il. The pairs of levers and 23 are connected to :a collapsible feeder head indicated by pivotal connections 2l and 26 respectively.`

The collapsible feeder head 24 is formed of a plurality of sections 25 and 34 so that during a portion of the cycle of operation of the feeder head a large area of a charge of material supplied to a compression chamber in a baler may be engaged, and subsequently during another portion of the cycle of operation the feeder head will occupy a minimum of space or volume. One manner of constructing the feeder head 25 is illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of the original patent application, Serial Number 534,869, filed May l0, 1944.

The feeder headA portion 25 has a notched material engaging edge member 32. The other feeder head portion has two trapezoidal side members secured to the rear member 31. The portion 34 is pivotally carried by portion 25 and is held in expanded position by a locking member 53. The locking member 53 is carried by a transverse shaft (it mounted in the head portion 25. A rod 5| is connected to the locking member 53, and the` rod is pivotally connected to a pivoted sleeve bearing 49 of the lever 23. The upper extremity of the rod 5| carries lock nuts 52 which in one position engage the bearing 49. A spring 56 surrounds the rod 5| and in one position engages the underside of bearing 49.

By referring to Figures 2, 3 and 4, it will be seen that the guide member 58 has a generally T- shaped cross sectional configuration. The plunger 59 is provided adjacent its upper foremost corner extremity with a shear bar arranged to cooperate'vvith another shear bar or knife 65 which preferably is mounted on the members |03 at a slight angle to a line perpendicular to the transverse axis yof the baling chamber and bale case.

The compression plunger 59 moves forwardly so that the cutter bar 65 passes underneath the cooperating cutting bar or knife 56, and hence it will be seen that the forward face of the plunger 59 extends just beyond the extremities of the dogs 53. To provide for such passage of the plunger 59 to this point, the plunger is provided on each side with suitable recesses 12.

From Figure 4 it will be seen how the guide rail 58 retainsin position the plunger 59 without the use of any devices adjacent the top surface of the plunger 59 which otherwise might restrict the opening to the compression chamber. The advantage of this additional space into which to supply'a charge of material to the chamber 5l has been found particularly valuable in the case of materials such as soybeans which are being baled for fodder, since the additional area provided in the opening together with the additional area engaged by the expanded feeder head produces a highly desirable operation. The action of the cutter bars '65 and 66 also produces a clean separation of each charge of such material so that when it is desired to open a bale and feed material such as soy beans, it is possible to progressively use the bale without breaking the entire bale and scattering it about prior to obtaining one or two forks of material. In Figure 3 the dotted line representation 9| generally indicates the area of the feeder head 24 when it is substantially in collapsed condition.

In view of the detailed description of the operation of the various components comprising the invention, it is believed that it will be apparent to those skilled in the art how the various `elements shown in Figure l cooperate when applied to a baler.

While for the purpose of illustrating and describing the present invention, certain specific embodiments have been shown in the drawings, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited thereby since obviously the inventionis susceptible to 'such other embodiments and variations as may be commensurate with the spirit and scope of the invention as dened in the appended claims.

This invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. In a baler, the combination comprising a compression chamber, a reciprocating plunger therefor, guide means for said plunger mounted adjacent the bottom of said chamber and extending above the bottom and terminating at the forward limit of travel of said plunger whereby the end of said guide means will operate to retain in position compressed material, a shear bar mounted on the upper edge of said plunger, and a cooperating shear bar mounted adjacent said chamber at a slight angle to said first shear bar.

2. In a baler, the combination comprising a compression chamber, a, reciprocating plunger therefor, a guide rail for said plunger centrally mounted in the bottom of said chamber and extending above the bottom and terminating at the forward limit of travel of said plunger whereby the end of said guide rail will operate to retain in position compressed material, a shear bar mounted on the upper edge of said plunger, and a cooperating shear bar mounted adjacent said chamber at a slight angle to said first shear bar.

3. In a baler, the combination comprising a compression chamber, a reciprocating plunger therefor, a guide rail for said plunger, said guide rail having a T-cross section and being centrally mounted in the bottom of said chamber so as to extend above the bottom thereof and terminate at the forward limit of travel of said plunger whereby the end of said guide rail will operate to retain in position a compressed charge of material, a shear bar mounted on the upper edge of said plunger, and a cooperating shear bar mounted adjacent said chamber at a slight angle to said rst shear bar.

4. In a baler, the combination comprising a compression chamber, a bale case extending beyond said compression chamber, a plurality of resiliently biased dogs mounted in the sides of said bale case so as to extend inwardly substantially to the junction between said compression chamber and said bale case, a reciprocating plunger therefor having at its bottom edge aT- shaped slot, and a guide rail for cooperation with the T-shaped slot of said plunger, said guide rail having a T-shaped cross section and being centrally mounted in the bottom of said chamber so as to extend above the bottom thereof and terminate at the forward limit of travel of said plunger, whereby the end of said guide rail will cooperate with Saidresiliently biased dogs to retain in position a charge of compressed material.

5. In a baler, the combination comprising a compression chamber, a bale case extendingbeyond said compression chamber, a plurality of resiliently biased dogs mounted in the sides of said bale case so as to extend inwardly at the junction between said compression chamber and said bale case, a reciprocating plunger for said compression chamber and having lat its bottom edge a guide rail slot, and a guide rail for cooperation with the slot of said plunger, said guide rail being centrally mounted in the bottom of said chamber so as to extend above the bottom thereof and terminate at the forward limit of travel of said plunger, whereby the end of said guide rail will cooperate with said resiliently biased dogs to retain in position a charge of compressed material.

LESLIE R. TALLMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

